[Serious] Note to All Readers

Note to All Readers: 

We all mess up. We all break promises. We all ruin ourselves with lies we begin to believe. We all try to fix it by doing the same thing over and over.

We are all imperfect.

We can all change and become that person we dream to be. But not everyone takes the chances. 

The chances of messing it all up again.

Trying and failing is not failure.

It is hope.

Hope for the future. Hope that next time you try, you will get one step farther.

We all have the opportunity to change, but not everyone does.

You are the only one that can take those steps. Your turning point is now. 

Are you going to take the opportunity?

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge! (Live Action Edition) Review

      Hey there fellow bloggers, readers, and (hopefully) homosapians! :) I have been having internet problems. I hate them. Anyways, to get on to the real point of this post... a review. Yes, my opinion on a live action that has been out for a while now: Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge. Let us begin! :)

Plot:

      In the ten episodes of the live action, I believe they were able to capture some of the key aspects of the original manga. They made sure that Sunako was still scary and Kyohei was still aggressive. Though, they seemed to use certain manga chapters that helped lead it to a new ending that leads to an emotional attachment and happy tears. The manga chapters they chose to use were some of the same that the anime was based on and some different. The overall plot was still the same though.

      Biggest changes? Let me just make it clear:

1. They are in college, not high school.

   Okay, so not the biggest change, but it is still quite different. They are now seen as "responsible adults", which is obviously hard for Kyohei. It is more or less to help add stress to the situation because adults are supposed to have a job. (At least in societies eyes.)

2. "Auntie" has a son.

   Yes. I know. Odd change? Yes. Does it improve the show? Not very much. Does it allow easier access to pull your heart strings? Hecks yeah. Seeing a grown women cry does not have the same affect as watching a small child crying for his diseased grandfather. It does, however, help open the show for more slots of humor. ;)

3. Kyohei and Sunako are not contently "fighting".

   Okay, they are technically fighting, but it is more arguing than anything. They are not going at it like they did in the manga or anime. It was more like Kyohei was bullying her, which is a tragic let down for me.

Cast:

      All of the characters from the mange continue into this show, but a few new ones are added. :)

I did not really like a lot of the cast though. :/

• Sunako Nakahara



• Played by: Aya Omasa
• She acted well enough, and truly is gorgeous. Somehow, she is able to capture the creepy and "ugly" feel Sunako is supposed to radiate through out the show, but still beable to instantly look pretty when she needed to for the shows sake.
• Kyohei Takano
  
• Played by: Kazuya Kamenashi
• I think that the casting was a bit off for most of the mails, but Kyohei was done pretty well. Kazuya was able to really grasp that feel of Kyohei and the emotions he normally exspresses in the manga and anime. :) I was pretty happy with him as Kyohei. (Though he got even better after he cut his hair!) XD Plus, his face... is beautiful. c:,'
• Takenaga Oda
  
• Played by: Hiroki Uchi
• Hiroki-san... Was perfect. I though he played Takenaga very well. He was able to stay stern and serious no matter what, and when Noi was concerned, well... He got very bashful looking. It was wonderful.
• Ranmaru Morii
  
• Played by: Shuntaro Miyao
• No. Just... No. He looks nothing like Ranmaru to me. Ranmaru has always been seen as a Red Head. Also, his extra drama, required to be Ranmaru, was just fake looking. I understand Ranmaru's unnecessarily dramatic scenes seem fake and stupid, but his acting in this was just plain off. I didn't care much for Shuntaro-san.
• Yukinojo Toyama
  
• Played by: Yuya Tegoshi
• So cute! I feel he played Yuki very well. However, he was a bit harsh feeling sometimes. I know there are scenes requiring that, but he seemed off in certain scenes. Other than those few scenes, he was great.
• Noi Kasahara
  
• Played by: Ranko Kanbe
• Awesome! I think she captured Noi as perfect as one possibly can! I really liked her! She is a great actress and I think she really suited Noi's character.
• (Auntie) Mine Nakahara
  
• Played by: Reiko Takashima
• I thought she acted well, but I do not think they casted her right. I have always seen "Auntie" as younger. I never have seen her as a motherly woman. That is my own opinion, other than that Reiko is a wonderful actress and does deserve praise for doing so well with what she had in this show.
• Takeru Nakahara
  
• Played by: Seishiro Kato
• A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!! He is so kawaii! No matter how I look at him, he was just too cute! He was a big catalyst in my heart during the show, making me want to cry when he did and smile with him. His acting is pretty well for a child and I believe he will grow into a very well-liked actor in the future.
• Shinichi
  
• Played by: Ren Osugi
• Now, I know I haven't spoken much about Shinichi. He is the of a cafe that Kyohei and the guys go to a lot during the show. It is used a lot to help the audience understand what one, mostly Kyohei, of the guys are thinking. Kyohei is the most common one to be speaking to Shinichi about his problems and this is when we learn most of his big thoughts on the on going situations. Shinichi then goes on to give him advice and beat him in a fight or two. ;) I think Ren-san acted very well and was casted great! He sure did do good!

Overall Rating:

7/10

I suppose I will have to end the review here. :( I know it is very sad to have to stop here, but I unfortunately have to go and do things today. DX So, I hope to see you next time! (If you want any thing in particular reviewed then please comment down below. Thanks!)

Facts and Opinions: Otaku Edition!

Hello there friends! (Okay readers.... :/)
I want to share some things I have learned about manga and anime over this great year chock full of it. (Also, I will be telling you the best ones I have read/seen.)

Facts of anime and manga:

1. You WILL learn some Japanese by the end of a season of any subtitled anime you watch.
      I have learned various words and phrases from watching anime and reading manga. Some examples are "Hikikomori" (A person that enjoys being alone, hates crowds, A.K.A. Me...), "Demo" (But), and "Konnichiwa. Watashi was Noel desu." (Hello. My name is Noel). As you watch and read you will naturally pick up words and learn their meanings through reading the screen. This is done a lot in high school language classes by watching movies in that language with English subtitles.

2. The drawing style will most likely change from manga to anime. (And is annoying when they do. -_-)
      Special A, Ouran High School Host Club, Lovely Complex, and The Wallflower are all good examples of the drawing style changing between manga and anime. Though, there are several that is not changed; Kimi ni Todoke, Sword Art Online, Kaichou wa Maid-sama!, etc.

3. The categories best liked in manga/anime is Shounen, Meca, and Ecchi.
      No matter who I talk to, they rarely know Shoujo manga and anime. They enjoy things like Bleach, Death Note, and Fullmetal Alchemist. I understand that these are good, popular anime, but they aren't the only ones out there. You can be surprised at what you can find when genre hopping. ;)

4. No matter how clean the anime you watch is, the instant you tell some one, whom dislikes anime, that you like anime, they are going to think of hentai.
      Am I the only one who has encountered this problem? I hope not. I was actually searching through a forum (well, Facebook page) and saw someone posted a list of reasons to hate anime. Number eight is hentai. (If you want to read it, here is the link.) To be honest, I find this humorous to read because their perception of anime is very off and strange to an otaku like myself. [Their phraseology is funny because they don't know the proper "anime" (actually Japanese) words for it.]

5. There is such a thing as "bad dubbing".
      When you watched it in Japanese first and then see the dubbed version, you want it to be just as good as the subtitled version. Consequently, it isn't always like that. :'( It is a sad day when your favorite anime is ruined by bad dubbing.

6. Most lolicon-esque characters in anime will have a female voice actor.
      Private Tamama (Keroro Gunso), Mitzkuni Honinozuka (Ouran High School Host Club), Momiji Souhma (Fruits Basket)... These are all lolicons voiced my women; whether in Japanese or English.

7. Cats. They are every where.
      Some where in every anime, there seems to be a cat. In the side panel of the last page, there is a cat sleeping in a tree. On the first scene of the eighth episode, you see a cat cross the street. (Not referencing anything in particular.) It just seems there is always a cat somewhere in manga/anime. (I know this is a major hyperbole, but there seriously is an over population of cats in the anime and manga world... o.O)

8. "Furries" are a thing a now.
      I am not really into furries. They confuse me, and I normally do not watch anime based on furries, but they really are popular. I think everyone that calls themselves an "Otaku" knows what a furry is. It is a animal/human mix. It is normally cats and girls mixed, or even wolves and humans. It all depends on the specific anime/manga. (An example of this is the anime Kamisama Kiss. It is a lot of fantasy, but does contain a furry or sorts.)

9. Chibis are some of the best fillers in anime, even though they are just lazier ways of drawing the characters.
      Chibi is awesome. They are just shorthand-like drawings of the characters in the manga or anime. Personally, most of the time chibi is in my favorite part of certain manga scenes. It is cute and adorable and loved well through out the otaku community. (Sunako Nakahara, from The Wallflower, is drawn chibi style 95% of the time in both manga and anime.) (Another good anime displaying chibi is Hetalia: Axis Powers.)

10. There is normally some type of harem.
      Harems are popular among anime and manga. If you do not know what a harem is then I will tell you. :) A harem is when there is one guy with multiple girls chasing him/dating him/etc. A reverse harem is when it is one girl being chased/dated/other by multiple guys. It leads to interesting plot developments and makes you wonder what will happen. (A good example of a harem and reverse harem manga is Ouran High School Host Club. It has both reverse harem and harem in it. Good for beginners in manga and anime too!)

My Top Ten Anime:
1. Fruits Basket
2. Ouran High School Host Club
3. The Wallflower
4. Sword Art Online
5. Sukitte ii na yo
6. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge
7. Special A
8. Kimi no Todoke
9. Lovely Complex
10. Marai Nikki

My Top Ten Manga:
1. Special A
2. Usotsuki Riri
3. Monkey High!
4. Kimi ni Todoke
5. High School Debut
6. Last Game
7. Ouran High School Host Club
8. Beast Master
9. Mixed Vegetables
10. L-DK

Favorite Couple:

Shirayuki (Girl) and Zen (Boy)

(Akagamie no Shirayumihime)

Well, that is all for now. If you want to keep up with my latest reads/watches then you can click right [here] to go to my animelist page and check out my manga and anime! :) I'll see you next time! (Comment below if you want more of these possibly!)

Hello there... again! :)

Hello there people that may, or may not, really be out their. :) I haven't written in a while. I suppose I could say things such as, "I was too busy," or "I was unable to connect to the internet,".. But none of that was true. I have a home computer, internet, and a fairly manageable lifestyle of relaxing moments I sat longing to write. My home computer is an HP. It sounds all nice and dandy to most, but my school gives every student Macbooks to use during the school year. It is hard for me to transition from Mac to Windows. After we got a Windows 7 computer things got much easier... The next problem? The keyboard... I really dislike the keyboard on most Window operated computers. The clacking doesn't sound the same to me. The feel is all wrong... The keys are too far apart... (I could probably continue on, but I think you sort of get it.) So, getting me to type long passages such as this was unheard of... Well onto the most important part of this unnecessarily long, and sort of boring, story, I was walking through the worst store I have ever bee to. The one I dread the most. Walmart. :( I really dislike Walmart, but that is for a different time and a different post. Anyways, I was at the store of hell when my sister asked if we could look at the laptops. (She is enrolled in college for the up coming semester and plans on purchasing a PC for school and even her own use.) I didn't really feel like going to look at it, but he had already spent thirty minutes standing next to me, bored, as I looked over paint. (I had a hard time picking between "Admiral Blue" and "Royal Blue"... It was truly an extremely hard decision for me.) When in the small island filled with a display case of laptops, I started to look at them as well. It began with the Acer Chromebook. I am not saying that I was extremely drawn to it... I didn't have some over whelming feeling pulling me to the machine or anything supernatural, and not likely for me, like that. I continued to look at the laptops, playing with each one. Then... I saw it. The price! The great price! I went back home.. spoke to my mother... felt like the choice would seriously kill me if I chose the wrong thing... went back to Walmart.... and purchased the Acer Chromebook. Shockingly, it is pretty nice! :) So... That was my elongated version of a simple story. To summarize it up: I got a new computer, so now I can write again. :) Done!

Anyways, thank you for reading, for those who still are, and thank you for any positive feedback I get! I plan to write again soon!

Coming up: Work! Work! Work! Break... :)

School Is Out!

       Yesterday was my last day of school! It was an okay school day full of t-shirt signing, water balloons, and overly excited middle school students... and of course it dragged on forever. :) The saddest part was having to turn in our school computers, but something good happened. My family now has a Windows 7, which I personally think is MUCH better than Windows Vista. Anyways, I have spent my first day off configuring and setting up our new system and computer.
      I also started my job yesterday! Luckily, today is my day off. I say luckily because I needed this time to clean up my room, do laundry, study for driver's ed, and to just have a little break before completely diving into work. I will be working 31 hour weeks and be doing this all summer. Plus, I am taking Driver's Ed. I now have to fork over more than three hundred dollars to be able to get my license four month's earlier than before. I was hoping to get my own computer, but it doesn't seem too plausible anymore. :/ I am still blessed to have what I do have, though, so I will get over it. :)
      So... I haven't written lately, and this post is rather small, so I will expand it with meaningless, yet awesome, pictures from my current favorite anime. :)

Sword Art Online

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post, short as it may be. :) See you next time! (Soon to come: My first true experience at my job... Driver's Ed.... Animes...!!! XD)

My Testimony: The testimony of a teenage girl

I was born in a christian household, so I have been told about God my entire life. I have been “saved” since I could talk, and been in church for just as long. It still didn’t help me in the challenging battle I have fought, and still fight every day. I was diagnosed with depression in September 2012. It wasn’t until after I attempted suicide did anyone even seem to realize that I might of had it. This is the story of my battle to stay alive and happy.

In November of 2011, my father hung himself. He always seemed so happy around me, but that day... Everything changed. My perspective changed right along with it. I didn’t see the happy loving father I have always known. I saw a struggling human people, barely holding on to the concept of happiness and life. Also that year, my favorite teachers were fired during the middle of second semester, and my best friend moved forty-five miles away. I no longer felt like I had someone to talk to because everyone left so suddenly. This was the beginning to my plummet to the dark side.

As time went on, I wanted to always be alone, in the dark, and thinking. I invested all of my time in reading manga and anime, so I wouldn’t have to think too much. I knew if I did I would remember the pain of being alone. My family allowed me to do this, though they were beginning to worry.

After school started again, I thought I was getting better. I smiled occasionally, but it started to fall again. I stopped smiling, or caring. I didn’t make any friends at my school. I felt like an outsider from the start. It made me want to die. Maybe if I wasn’t there, I wouldn’t waste that space. There would be one more empty chair in the classroom, and I wouldn’t be such a burden to everyone. Finally, I cracked.

It was in September when I was plotting my demise, writing out ways to die and collecting miscellaneous pills I could find. I knew it wasn’t the answer, but at that time, nothing else mattered. I wanted to die. It was on the morning of September 24th that I sat on my bed holding a handful of pills. I had called my mom, telling her I was sorry while crying. She rushed home as quickly as possible. She found out what was going on and then took me to crisis care. After that, I was sent to a mental health hospital. I was there for five days.

Those five days were my turning point. The girls there were nice and everyone understood each other. We understood the feeling of emptiness and nothingness. I also got closer to God there. We spoke a lot in  group sessions, and most of the workers were Christian. They would mention that every once in awhile. It reminded me of how he can help anyone, even a girl who wished to die. By the time I left, I felt so much better. I was on medication, but it didn’t feel like false happiness. I genuinely felt glad to be alive and to be with my family, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Since then, I have been getting better. I have my down moments, but I just have to turn to him and he will save me. My happiness doesn’t come from a little blue pill. It comes from the love I receive from God. I can only hope to share this with someone who has that same feeling of loneliness and brokenness as I did, and maybe they could begin to see the light at the end of the long dark tunnel, too. I have been diagnosed with depression. It is a long battle that I have to fight every day, but with God, I know I will win.

Permit: The good, bad, and why I still don't have one. (Small post time!)

      So, in my state, I am legally allowed to have a permit... The problem? I am a coward. I am basically afraid of hitting someone or crashing. :/ I would rather not hurt anyone or even kill them. I have read the hand book, but I still do not know it all. I will be taking the permit test tomorrow morning, so I am starting to worry. I hope I do well!